Dark Slayer

Ivory. Razvan said her name again. Gently. A reprimand.

It is merely my opinion, lifemate.

He hid his smile from the others, but she caught the brief flash of male amusement.

CHAPTER 18

Savannah half sat in a bed of rich soil, her face swollen, her body bloated. Raven sat next to her daughter, holding her hand. She looked up and relief flooded her face when she saw Ivory. «Thank God you are here! Lara cannot come. Syndil, Skyler and Francesca have been doing their best without her, but Savannah's body is filled with toxins.» She pushed down the little sob in her voice. «Can you help us? I told Mikhail to find you. I just have this strong feeling that you can help us.»

Ivory forgot all about her anger at the Carpathian people and she crossed the chamber in a rush. Several of the women moved aside to make room for her.

«I am Francesca. We met when we were but girls. It was brief, you probably do not remember.» Francesca smiled at her. «You were in the middle of ten strong warriors and you were difficult not to notice.»

She drew Ivory away from the bed and the suffering woman, and lowered her voice. «I have done all I know how to do. Gregori, the greatest healer among us, will not be able to save this child. If you know anything I do not, please give us aid.»

«If I can counter the effect of the microbes on Savannah's body, can you stop her labor?»

Francesca shook her head. «She is too far along. But we will have a chance to save the babies. The microbes are in the twins as well as Savannah, and they work to kill the babies. One is very weak and the microbes are working against us, shutting down her ability to live.»

Ivory frowned. «I have never tested the reversal spell on Carpathians. Razvan was going to infect himself so I could try it, but we have not had time. I do not think it is a good idea on a woman already under duress. If I knew it worked . . .»

Razvan put a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing Ivory was uneasy with the idea of trying an unproven experiment on a living person. «Do it now,» Razvan said. «We know where to find the microbes. I will just let them attack me.»

Ivory shook her head. «If Savannah is infected, doubtless they are well entrenched. I need someone who has had them for some time.»

The woman she recognized as Syndil stepped forward. Tall and elegant, she had that same serenity that Ivory had noted before. «I am not pregnant. I know I am infected. Try your experiment on me.»

«Syndil.» Raven's voice was gentle. «You have given us too much already. You are so tired and worn. I am the prince's lifemate and Savannah is my child. I should be the one to do this for her.»

Ivory's gaze dropped to Raven's swollen, very pregnant belly, and she shook her head. «No. Not you.» She stepped back away from the prince's lifemate. «I will not risk a child.»

«Please,» Savannah choked out. «Whatever you're going to do, do it now. The contractions are increasing. I am fighting to give Gregori and Shea time to prepare the incubation cubicle, but I don't know how much longer I can keep the babies from coming.»

Syndil flashed a calming smile, very reminiscent of Razvan. «Clearly it should be me.»

Ivory closed her eyes. Her scientific need to experiment dozens of time, dozens of ways under dozens of conditions battled with the desperate maternal need to save Savannah's unborn children. To risk precious lives . . . I cannot do this, Razvan. They cannot ask me to experiment on human life without other trials first.

Perhaps the rich soil will buy us the time that we need. Razvan slid his hand from her shoulder down her arm to tangle his fingers with hers.

Gregori came striding into the healing cave, going straight to his lifemate. He took her hand, brought it to his heart and stood quietly looking into her eyes, obviously encouraging her.

«Gregori,» Razvan said, «we brought you a gift of pure, untouched soil. We can bring it to the laboratory and have your people examine it to make certain it is fit for your lifemate. Perhaps the soil will buy you the time you need to prepare for the children.»

Gregori inclined his head, his attention remaining on holding his daughters to their mother while they struggled and clung to life. «You must hurry.»

The weariness in Gregori's voice shook Razvan. He knew how difficult it was to remove a fragment of evil, and Gregori was already stretched thin from trying to keep his children and lifemate alive.

«Can you hold off the birth three or four hours to give Ivory the chance to test whether or not she can neutralize the mutated microbes within Syndil?»

«She is advancing fast. I will try.» Gregori sounded doubtful.

«What of the boy, Travis?» Razvan had great sympathy for the child. Travis obviously loved Falcon and tried to look and act like him. He followed the Carpathian everywhere. He would be ashamed at having attacked Mikhail, even though he wasn't to blame.

Just as you were not, Ivory pointed out, her fingers tightening around his.